New Zealand vs Ireland Match - (Source: IrelandCricket)
On Wednesday, New Zealand and Ireland locked horns in the one-off Test match at the Belfast Stadium in Ireland. The hosts won the toss and opted to field first. The decision turned out to be gold as they reduced the Kiwis to 86/4.
The fans turned up in big numbers to watch a game of red-ball cricket, but for everyone’s information, the ongoing match is just a four-day game. It is not a usual sight to see an ICC-approved Test played for just four days rather than the traditional five-day format.
The fans are confused why there is no Day 5 for the one-off Test, and this article will shed light on why New Zealand and Ireland are playing a four-day Test match.
Revealed: Why are New Zealand and Ireland playing a 4-Day Test match?
Notably, since 2017, the ICC has allowed teams to play four-day Test matches if the two bilateral boards mutually agree to reduce a day from the Test match. The International Cricket Council opened to the idea of 4 Day Test games so that smaller cricket boards can host Test matches without financial burden.
Now, in this case, both New Zealand and Ireland have agreed to play a four-day Test match for their own interests. For Ireland, financial burden is one of the reasons and playing against New Zealand will also help their cricket grow, be it even in a four-day Test.
Apart from it, the Irish team has also had limited first-class exposure and playing against a Tier A side would help them in addressing that issue.
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For New Zealand, they are on a UK tour because they have a three-match Test series lined-up against England starting from June 4. Therefore, the ongoing match will serve as a practice match for the BlackCaps, who have fielded a top team against Ireland.
What Is The Difference Between A 4 Day And 5 Day Test Match?
The biggest difference between a five-day game and a four-day game is that 5 day Test require a minimum of 90 overs to be bowled in a day, while a four-day match sees a minimum of 98 overs per day.
The second difference is that a 150-run lead is needed to enforce a follow-on instead of a lead of 200 runs.
The ongoing match is the fifth four-day Test in history. The first-ever one was between South Africa and Zimbabwe in a Test match in 2018 at Port Elizabeth.
Revealed: Why New Zealand vs Ireland One-Off Test is not part of WTC Cycle?
The ongoing match between New Zealand and Ireland will not make any difference to the WTC standings. For those confused, Ireland is not part of the WTC cycle as they are out of the top-10 Test Team rankings.
Therefore, since only New Zealand is the side that is part of the WTC cycle, the ongoing match won'e be recorded in the WTC table. However, New Zealand are 2nd on the table, just behind Australia. The Kiwis have two wins in three matches.
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